Plows of the scraper or rotary type ordinarily used to clear snow from roads, parking lots, airport runways and similar areas tend to leave a film of snow which becomes compacted by traffic or melts and refreezes as ice, once the film has hardened, a plow is not effective to remove it. It is customary to spread a mixture of sand and salt on the film to make the surface less slippery and induce melting. This practice is expensive and has other objectionable results. The accumulation of sand must be swept up after the winter season. The salt is damaging to vehicles travelling over the surface, and runoff of salt water is injurious to grass, trees, and shrubbery adjacent to the area.
The principal object of this invention is to provide a device which can be mounted on a truck or similar vehicle, and which mechanically breaks up ice and compacted snow so that the loosened material can be removed by a plow or sweeper, thus eliminating the need for salt and sand. Another object is to provide a device which breaks up the compacted film without damaging the road surface. Other objects, advantages and novel features will be apparent from the following description.